Pine Multi-Media

Everyone loves candles but recently gel candles have been the craze. The ability to get creative and artistic with them is one explanation. You can personalize them without difficulty…adding your own character when using as a gift. Another reason is that they last longer than paraffin or wax candles as they burn at a slower rate.

When buying the wax to make gel candles bear in mind that there are three densities of gel wax available -high, medium and low. If you want exceptional fragrance in your candles, high density gel wax will be the best choice since it will be able to hold the fragrance better than medium or low density wax. This means that the scent of the candle will be stronger.

Use a non-stick mult-cooker instead of a double boiler, skillet or sauce pan when melting wax to make gel candles. This is because the multi-cooker speeds up the melting process…since gel wax is thicker than other waxes.

Click on the link to find out more candle instructions.

Be sure not to use anything made of wood for stirring the gel wax. Use something made from hard plastic or metal to minimize bubbles in the gel wax .

Due to the high viscosity of gel wax, you may find it challenging to pour gel wax into the mold…be patient as you pour. In addition, molding time will be longer due the consistency of the gel wax.

One of the splendid advantages of a gel candle is the thickness of the gel and how it can “suspend” or “float” different types of objects in your candle. By using bright, rich liquid dyes, you can get creative and change the color of your gel candles. The transparency of the gel wax is preserved by the liquid dyes. It only requires a few drops, so be careful when adding it to your wax. You don’t want to use too much and mess up your candle.

Do not use soap dyes, food color, clothing dyes, or even childrens crayons. The use of these materials will cause it to burn differently since these are not made for candles!

These techniques will allow you to make gel candles fast while having lots of fun!

Why not see how to make beeswax candles next?

If you’ve ever dreamed of producing candles as a family but have been too afraid to expose your family to the risk of burns or of cuts, you can try bee’s wax candle making.  Crafting bee’s wax candles is uncomplicated and enjoyable for the entire family, because of the simple process involved.  Before we get to the how, let’s talk about what bee’s wax candles are. These beeswax candles can be seen in church altars and formal dining tables.  Bee’s wax candle making involves rolling the beeswax, softening and forming the wax, or pouring liquefied wax in candle containers.   Bee’s wax can be bought from craft stores or beekeepers in blocks or thin sheets.

The difference between these two kinds of bee’s wax has something to do with the process involved in making candles from the crude materials.  Bee’s wax blocks are usually liquefied in a double boiler and then transferred into molds and containers.  This is the long-established way of creating beeswax candles, which is similar to the procedure used for crafting paraffin type candles.  If you’re working by yourself, you can go for the conventional way of candle making, but you cannot let your kids get too near the heat source because of the hazards involved.  Luckily, there is an unconventional technique of making candles out of bee’s wax.

This technique involves only beeswax sheets cut in definite lengths and widths, primed wicks and a flat work surface where you’ll roll the sheets.  If you are going to roll bee’s wax candles, you don’t have to employ your double boiler.  This means you do not have to use heat as you won’t be thawing wax.  The only part of the process that is not child-friendly is the slicing of the bee’s wax sheets.

If you are in a hurry, you can buy pre-cut wax sheets from craft stores instead of cutting the sheets at home.  Just bear in mind, the shape and style of your candles will depend on how the sheets were cut before rolling.  If you are going to cut the wax, use sharp art scissors.

You can also use a craft knife or an ordinary paring knife.  The span of the bee’s wax sheet will be the homemade candle’s height.  You can easily make tapered candles by varying the way you slice your bee’s wax.  Plus, the wick needs to be primed and installed in the sheets of wax before you let your children roll the candles.

Priming your wick means dipping it in melted bee’s wax prior to placement on one side of your sheet.  Put the wick on one end of the bee’s wax sheet and fold the rim of the sheet over the primed wick.

Next … the enjoyable part!

Hand over one sheet of bee’s wax to your family members and let them roll the bee’s wax sheet into a firm cylinder.  This is the enjoyable part because it’s similar to rolling dough for cookie making.  Small hands might require guidance in rolling the flexible bee’s wax sheets.  Teach your kids how to employ a steady but moderate force to roll the bee’s wax.  The bee’s wax sheets are delicate enough to be molded into a tube manually.  Don’t worry about adding color to your rolled bee’s wax candles because some shops color the bee’s wax sheets.  Choose pastel colors to persuade your younger members to join in your new family tradition.

Here is more information on How to Make Beeswax Candles. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Candle Making.